A different taxi

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Established in February 2014 as a sister company of Adika Tour & Travel Plc, with initial capital of 7.5 million birr, Adika Taxi Services Plc, launched its meter taxi service in Addis Ababa. Adika paid nine million birr for the purchase of 25 taxis that Zemen Bank foreclosed from Sheger City Metre Taxi Transport S.C. Adika is now giving service engaging in dial a cab taxi service (8210) based on its 15 years of experience and exposure in the car rental business. The vehicles, which are FAW brands cars with a capacity of four passengers will operate according to requests for their services via the company’s call center. Bizuayehu Tadesse, general manager of the company talked to Capital about his company’s plan to expand their business. Excerpts:

Capital: What is unique about this business?
Bizuayehu Tadesse: The meter taxi service charges customers according to the distance they travel and how long the taxi waits. Adika taxies will be unique in that they will have a global positioning system (GPS). So our office will be able to monitor the activity of the taxis and drivers.

Capital: When did you start? And what motivates you?
Bizuayehu: As you know Adika Tour and Travel Plc has been renting cars for the last 15 years.  We rent cars for weddings and 4 wheel drive cars for touring. We were motivated to start the meter taxi service because customers kept asking us to pick them up from their home to work. Furthermore, Addis is the diplomatic hub of Africa and many foreigners and diplomats are used to having this type of service in their own country instead of being forced to negotiate with drivers who often charge them much higher prices. Finally because of the city’s development, it is becoming more and more of a challenge to get to places easily since things are so spread out.

Read more at: Capitalethiopia.com